Tag Archives: Elvis Costello & the Attractions

And today is St. Patrick’s Day. The real thing, not the Fake Patrick’s Day which left Hoboken crowded with newly of age drinkers. And my niece. Bill was up and out early this morning, gave me a nice kiss before he left while I was still in bed.

Groggy eyed and without glasses on I asked him if he was wearing green and he said that he was so I had to take his word for it.

Me & Bill St. Pats NYC 2008

I suspected he had his kelly green beret on and, I then rolled over and continued dreaming about redesigning the artwork for Elvis Costello & the Attractions ‘Punch the Clock’ album which was being reissued for the ninth time.

That’s something about Elvis Costello, new packaging for his back catalog several times over with each re release.

Woke up to find a St. Patrick’s Day card on my computer as well as one in the kitchen and a drawing from Bill on a paper towel professing his love for me, covering up a bowl of cereal that he had poured before he left.

Jeez I love this guy.

It was a gorgeous day, a great day for the Irish. First time in a long time that I didn’t see the parade in NY. When I was working I would take a slightly extended lunch hour and check out the parade. Not this year obviously.

No suit for me today which meant no green tie either. I didn’t even think about going into the city. Not much fun to do it on my own, missing the hordes of kids playing hooky. Been there, done that and did not buy the t-shirt.

Today it was close to 70 degrees, bright & sunny. I decided to head out early this afternoon and stopped by CVS to get a last minute St. Patrick’s Day card for my cousin Theresa.

From there I walked up to 15th Street, up to the Lipton Tea building. It’s been months since I’d been up there and took the standard photo of the Empire State Building seemingly at the end of the walkway.

It was a beautiful day. I wore my late cousin Jackie’s Chesterfield coat and even wearing just a long sleeved t-shirt, it was a bit too warm. Still I like the way it looks.

Once again many photos were uploaded to Facebook. Just give me a compliment on my photographs and I am inspired to photograph more and more.

Enjoyed a nice La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 700 as I strolled. Sat by Sinatra Park as I did yesterday, only this time read the New Yorker instead of Mojo. After an hour or so I came back home and wrote out the card for my cousin Theresa.

I wanted to at least get it postmarked for today so it was back outside for me. This time, putting on a greenish shirt and a suit jacket. On the way over to the post office, a guy asked for money, saying ‘Do you have any change for a homeless man?’ I couldn’t help so I said, ‘Sorry I can’t help you, I’m an unemployed man’.

And it’s true, when I had money, when I had a job, I wouldn’t think twice about helping out other people. Now on a tight tight tight budget I can’t do it. At least I communicated and didn’t shun him like other people do.

Outside the post office I ran into a friend, Jared and we talked. Mainly I talked about the upcoming Street Corner Mourners show on Friday night at the Park Theater in Union City. We did talk about young people playing music as well as the state of the music business.

He bemoaned the fact that there weren’t as many venues for live music, I mentioned the fact that these kids just set up and play on the street, albeit acoustically. We parted ways and I promised to send him a link for Friday night’s show.

Then I ran into Ralph, a former McSwells patron. He’s working as a conductor for NJ Transit and was on his way to work so it was fleeting. I re-lit the cigar I had earlier and continued on my way up Washington Street where I ran into Jennifer, Ralph’s wife. She had their boys who were most anxious to get to some practice they were running late for.

On the way home I decided to pick up a small bouquet for Stine as a way of thanking her for witnessing the filling out of paperwork for Bill and my civil union. Spent some time with her and Alexander who had just woken up from a nap and was playing with his Thomas the Tank engine train set. Alexander loves Thomas the tank engine.

Then I came home and since I hadn’t eaten since some Irish soda bread and coffee for lunch I had dinner around 6:00.

Julio texted me that he was going to the park with Alexander so I thought I would meet them there and run to the library and return the CD’s I took out earlier in the day. St. Vincent- Actor. Very interesting. Haven’t heard the whole thing yet. Also Phillip Glass’ interpretation of the songs of David Bowie and Brian Eno from ‘Heroes’.

Julio hadn’t left his apartment so I just sat on the stoop and played with my camera. Then Julio and Alexander came out and the 3 of us went to the park where Alexander was just running around and climbing over as many things as he could.

Being such a warm evening there were a lot of children and toddlers out. Julio encouraged Alexander running around just to tire him out. It was a fun evening all around. A near perfect day.

No Guinness yet, but it may be just a matter of time since I do have a few cans in the refrigerator.

It’s Wednesday I think. I’m at the border where the days start to blend into one another. Last night was alright. Another stroll with Julio, this time I was able to get some words in.

A different route around Hoboken and not as winding as the night before. It was a late start anyway. A good walk with a stop to get Bill some of his vitamin water for which we schlepped to a few stores on Washington Street.

Came home where Bill was falling asleep sitting up again. Despite my suggestion that he should go to bed, he actually stayed up for an hour or so more. We didn’t watch anything in particular as far as I could remember. The news and the Simpsons was about it.

Went to bed earlier than I’ve been lately. I did have the plan to go into the office again today to assist Greg Stevens on some projects. He will pay me out of his pocket and expense it. And I may help Greg’s wife out with her charity, stuffing envelopes for a function down the line.

Good people those Stevens are.

I went in and talked to Viveka for a little while. She seems to be getting fed up with the way things are and with the work she is doing, plus the work that I used to do, she is feeling the strain.

I don’t get dressed up these days when I go into the office. Just shorts, sneakers and the usual shirt. I’m not working officially and I don’t see any reason to conform to a job that doesn’t really exist.

Greg Stevens doesn’t mind and I haven’t heard any complaints, just a few utterances from some people wishing they could dress like I do. Someone said I looked cool with the way I dress and I could only reply, that I am cool.

So I did some work for Greg which took an hour or 2 and then had a nice walk across town to the bus terminal enjoying a cigar and listening to a play list of Elvis Costello & the Attractions on my iPod.

Hot and sticky on the streets of Hoboken again, I walked around for a bit before going to the supermarket.

Nice and cool in the store, but the workers are generally belligerent which makes one want to leave the store as soon as possible. Came home and made some dinner, Bill sitting on the couch after cleaning up a bit.

Tonight the plan is to go see Karen Kuhl perform on Pier 13 in Hoboken. It’s the same spot that I went to last month with Rand & Lisa.

Cheap beers, nice evening to be out, provided it doesn’t rain and it’s been forecast. They do have a tent which could be nice. I just hope it doesn’t rain.

Rand and Lisa will be there and Alice Genese is also playing with Karen. Karen usually puts on a good show so in any event it should be worthwhile.

That’s my to do list for the night. What are you up to?
After you read this, that is.

Has anyone noticed or heard the remake of Ceremony by Joy Division-New Order being used in a television commercial? It’s for Absolut, which I guess makes it OK. But it certainly through me for a loop. I only starting drinking Absolut in 1984 because of Scritti Politti

And we’re back on Monday again. And that means back to the bullshit. I was more anxious about it last night than I was this morning. But I put on my brave face and headed in.

I decided to listen to Elvis Costello & the Attractions, This Year’s Model. Good way to start off the week I thought. That brought back the memory of being such an Elvis Costello fan that I really wanted (I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea and it wasn’t on any US versions.

I wound up taking a bus to a record store next to the Oritani theater in Hackensack and buying a Canadian EP which cost me my bus fare. causing me to call home and my brother Frank picked me up, understanding my love of music while upset that he had to pick me up.

I should have walked home and could have but I was scared from all of the stories I heard about Hackensack in those days.

Vivek and Sanjay were back from India with their crazy plans. Today I was told to find them a suite in National Harbor in Maryland, checking in tomorrow, checking out on Wednesday. Of course since it was less than 24 hours to check in, hotel rooms were unavailable.

And they were very specific on which hotel they wanted. Which made it impossible. It was out of my hands. I do wonder whats going on with them.

This morning I received a phone call for Vivek. He wasn’t in yet so I took a message. It was all about some woman they are hiring in June.

I did wonder if she was being hired for my job. Not that I want to be out of work, but to go through the anxiety that Vivek creates, is it worth hanging onto a job like that?

Abby was in today and though he’s a nice guy, he’s also a liar. I caught him in a lie. I asked him if he got his car back to the dealer before the lease expired, causing me to go into the office on a Saturday. He told me he lied to the dealer, saying that he was awfully sick and wouldn’t be able to return the car on time.

It’s good to know the people you work for.

I left the office around 6:00 tonight which was early for them, but since I had been there since 9:30 it was getting late for me. Enjoyed a nice cigar walking across town, a Saint Luis Rey. It was a nice evening, New Order- Power, Corruption and Lies on the iPod.

Last night Bill came home, stressed out as usual and needing a big hug which I gladly gave him. I was happy to have him home and we watched Scrubs from last week, the penultimate episode and the season/series finale. He got weepy which made me get weepy at the end. Not sobbing, just a bit of the bladder moving closer to the eyes.

After that he just sat on the couch with his eyes closed. I suggested he go to bed and he did. I watched the Alzheimer’s documentary on HBO which was depressing and sad.

Bill really wanted to watch it and I’m sure he will. I’ll probably need to have some more tissues around for that. Bill’s mother has Alzheimer’s and there are a lot of people that are a lot worse than Bill’s mother in the documentary.

There really wasn’t anything lightweight to watch after that. And I certainly did look up and down the dial.

I wound up reading some more of Uncut magazine before going to bed after the news.

That’s about all that’s going on around here and in my mind. How are things on your end?